Bognor Regis Town put in five-star performance to beat Leatherhead

Bognor got their second win in a row at Nyewood Lane as they smashed Leatherhead in a five goal thriller with a super performance from Dan Smith who netted four of them on the night.
Dan Smith. Picture by Tommy McMillanDan Smith. Picture by Tommy McMillan
Dan Smith. Picture by Tommy McMillan

Jimmy Muitt was also amongst the goals as Rocks jumped up to 12th position in the standings.

In the early going goalkeeper Zaki Oualah took a knock as a neat move saw Rocks move down the right when Jimmy Muitt cut the ball inside to Doug Tuck whose neat touch through defence was searching for James Crane. The full back ran through but he clashed with the goalkeeper.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Bradley Lethbridge put the ball into Smith who won a corner. Following the corner kick it was Muitt's cross which was searching towards the back post with Joe Cook lurking but he went to ground as the defender cleared it.

Tommy Leigh tracked back to defend and then Tuck had a great chance as Muitt and Crane combined before passing square to him. He turned his marker but bashed his left footed strike narrowly and disappointingly wide of the right post on 8 minutes.

Crane's ball in had to be hacked clear. The corner from Muitt on 11 minutes saw Smith rise highest before nodding it low into the net to give Rocks an early lead and ending his goal draught.

Muitt did all the hard work before digging out another cross towards the back post with Smith in pursuit in the air but the goalkeeper instead gathered.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

James Holden confidently caught a cross before Bognor scored again on 19 minutes. Bognor worked the ball forward with pace and Smith's low strike was pushed out by Oualah only into the path of Muitt who smashed it low beyond the stranded goalkeeper.

But a goal back came for Leatherhead on 24 minutes as Bognor lost possession in their own half before Tommy Wood snatched it before lofting Holden, who was off line and placing it in the net.

A goal kick forward bounced over defence and Olutade got a shot away but his deflected chance off a defender was gathered by Holden on 27 minutes.

Muitt won a freekick following a swift forward pass down the middle of the park. But Tommy Leigh's freekick was curled high over the bar on 34 minutes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Hancott won a freekick and Izunna Ikebuasi went into the book. Bognor went 3-1 ahead on 39 minutes. The short freekick was played inside to Tuck and his pass inside bounced out again kindly for Smith who composed himself before curling it around the crowded area and inside the right post.

Crane was replaced at half time by Ben Clark-Eden in a change due to an apparent injury.

Tommy Leigh had Muitt and Smith in support but in instead he ran into space and struck it over the bar, the ball always rising.

Numbers were back for Bognor but Travis Gregory made his way across his markers before smashing low and wide of the right post inside a good restart for the Tanners.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Findlay McNabb was causing all sorts of problems since coming on and an inadvertent deflection almost saw Gregory almost in but Holden gathered it.

Gregory had a low shot saved before Holden was committed again by Olutade who forced the goalkeeper into a diving stop seconds later.

Then Simon Mensah played in Crossley Lema who committed Holden into a fantastic left-legged save on 65 minutes.

Holden had to punch out another freekick as Lema's ball in was dangerous on 69 minutes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Bognor sprung on the counter and Lethbridge played it square to Muitt who hit it first time with the outside of his boot narrowly over the bar in response.

Muitt played it back to Smith who smashed it from distance on 72 minutes wide of the right post.

Muitt teed up Clark-Eden on the right and he did well to drive the ball into the box. But it was played back inside by Lethbridge who found Smith and he headed it in on 73 minutes, rising highest to meet it.

Ikebuasi got his second yellow card on 78 minutes and he was sent to the stands fter a foul on the left hand side leaving Tanners with ten men.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Smith hit another chance straight at the goalkeeper moments later though the on form Smith had it in the net again 80 minutes. A neat ball over the top saw Lethbridge work hard before squaring it to the back post for Smith to prod in with ease.

Victor Hensel had a shot denied along the deck from outside the box shortly after coming on right at the end.

But it was another impressive home performance from Bognor in a game where they really deserved the win here. Smiles and cheering was evident at the final whistle in a real morale booster as the Green Army hope to continue to push on up the league.

Attendance - 386

Rocks: Holden, Crane (Clark-Eden 45), Hancott, Tuck, Cook, Wood, Whyte (c) (Hensel 85), T Leigh, Smith, Muitt (Scutt 86), Lethbridge

Subs not Used: A Leigh, Simmonds